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E. G. WILEY. ELECTRIC SIGNAL FOR RAIL-ROADS. No 445,106. F [Patented Jan. 20,1891. jg- $5.2.

wuewtoz Rom L01 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. O. WILEY.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL FOR RAILROADS.

No. 445,106. Patented Jan. 20,1891.

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WW WWWWW m STAT-ES NITE EDGAR c. WILEY, or

BRISTOL, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR OF TlYO-THIRDS TO JAMES A. DICKEY, OF SAME PLACE, AND NAPOLEON Ii. AINSIVORTII, OF

MCALESTER, INDIAN TERRITORY.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL FOR RAILROADS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,106, dated January 20, 1891.

Application filed May 15, 1890. Serial No. 351,964. (No model.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDGAR O. \VILEY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Bristol, in the county of Sullivan and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Signals for Railroads; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accorn panyin gdrawin gs, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention has reference to electric signals for railroads; and it consists, generally, of two line-wires extending parallel with the track or way, said line-wires having branches leading therefrom to points adjacent to one of the rails, together with devices operated by the car-wheel and circuit-closing brush on the locomotive-temlcr to connect one of the wires with the track and the other with the brush-contact, to the end that when an oppositely-moving locomotive reaches one of the devices it will, through its contact-brush, close the circuit through a bell and the rail and receive an alarm, this result being attained without regard to the number of devices intervening. The system also provides for operating the devices in a reverse direction, so that the connection of the branch wiresis reversed, one of them being connected to thebrush-contaetinstead of to the rail, while the other is connected to the rail instead of to the brush-contact, the result being, however, that the advancing train receives a signal, as before. The electric connections are broken at stations, so that the locomotives have to approach each other between. stations in order to receive signals.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure l is a plan view of a section of a track or way, illustrating in diagram the general relative position of the circuits. Fig. 2 is a side view of a locomotive and part of its tender, showing the circuit and contact devices carried by the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail perspective view representing the eonnnutators and other parts in an exposed position, the arrangement being reversed with respect to Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged side view of one of the track-boxes, part of the same being broken away to disclose the internal arrangement thereof. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view on line y y, Fig. 4.

In carrying out inyinvention I provide the track at suitable points with a series of boxes A, arranged adjacent to the outer side of one of the rails B, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4. Each of these boxes A is closed and contains a horizontal cylinder 0, carrying trunnions c at one end, bearingin ears c therefor secured at the inner side of one end of the box, to allow the cylinder to move pivotally. This said cylinder is provided at its opposite end with a stuffing-box a, through which a red I) plays, the rod being connected within the cylinder to a piston 0, provided wit-l1 a small port or ports (Z. Interposed between the end of the cylinder and piston is a coiled expanding spring D, while a valved disk D has a limited play 011 the rod (Z at the rear of the piston. 'lransversely within the other portion of the box a rotary commutator-cylinder E is mounted, one of the journals g of which projects beyond the side of the box and has rigidly attached thereto a contact-arm F, the free portion of which is beveled and normally occupies a vertical position. The commutator-cylinder E is provided centrally and at one side with horizontal cars 71, between whieh the end of the rod b is pivotally secured by a pin h, bearing in said ears. Each cylinder E is provided adjacent to each end with an insulated band i, of copper, forming a continuous contact, and adjacent to each of said bands are two short contacts 2" i also insulated, each pair 1" '1? being circumferentially on a line with each other. These said contacts i i i are electrically connected to each other by wires 1'", asshown by full lines, Fig 3, wherein each of the contacts '2" is shown as being connected to the adjacent contact 17 and also with the contact 2' farthest away. Parallel with each cylinder E is abar G, carrying four insulated contact-brushes j,

hearing on the cylinder E to register with the contacts thereof, binding screws 1 2 3 I being electrically connected with said brushes for the proper connection of circuitavires.

Above each box A is a longitudinal copper plate Z, one end of which is rigidly secured on an insulated support, while the other end is normally located a slight distance above the contact-block m.

The circuit-connection with the parts thus far described is as follows: The wire 5 leads from the rail 13 to binding-screw 2 audits brush j. Binding-screw 1 and itsbrushj connect with the line-wire 6, leading to bindingscrew 1 and brush j of the adjacent box A. Binding-screw and its brush connect by wire '7 to contact-block in, and binding-screw t and its brush 7' connect by line-wire 8 to the corresponding binding-screw and brush of the adjacent box. The cylinder D on one side of the piston is filled with oil, glycerine, or

equivalent liquid.

Each locomotive carries at a suitable point an electric bell n and local circuit, with a battery 0 located on the locomotive and adapted to be closed by a relay 1), also thereon, one of the wires of the relay leading to and connecting with one of the axles or otherwise grounded through the rail B, the other wire leading to and connecting with the springbrush q, carried by the locomotive-tender to contact with the copper plate Z on the box as the locomotive moves along the track.

In practice the boxes A are located at suit able points along the track or way. In some cases they will be arranged at intervals of two hundred yards, and in other instances a greater or less distance, according to require ments.

Referring to Fig. 1, in connection with Fig. 8, assuming that locomotive No. 1 reaches a box before locomotive No. 2 does, the firstmentioned locomotive will depress the arm F of the adjacent commutator, so that its cylinder E will be turned to bring the inner brushes 7' onto contacts 2", the outer brushes j being always on contact 2, because, as before stated, they are continuous. By this operation the following partial circuits will be established: from rail B along wire 5 to binding-screw 2, its brush j, and contact 1', across to adjacent contact 2', through brush j thereon, binding-screw 1, line-wire 6, to binding-screw 1 of adjacent box A. hen locomotive No. 2 reaches box A last mentioned, it will depress arm F to turn its commutatorcylinder in a reverse direction and bring its brushes upon contacts t'and i Locomotive No. 2 also depresses plate Z, so that the circuit is completed as follows: from one of the wires of the relay to spring-brush (1, through plate 1, its contact m, wire 7, binding-screw 3, brnshj, contact 1?, cross wire to inner contact t, and over to contact 1', through brush j thereon to binding-screw 1, along line-wire 6to bin din g-screw l of commutator first operated, through brush j of said binding-screw to incuits that may be readily traced.

ner contact /I, thence to adjacent contact 1', out through its brush 7' and binding-screw 2 to wire 5, where the circuit is completed through rail, locomotive, relay-battery, and relay, and operating the latter to complete the local circuit through battery 0 and ring the bell m, thus notifying the engineer that an approaching train has passed the locality of the box first referred to. If locomotive No. 2 should first reach its box, then the engineer of locomotive No. 1 would be similarly notified through the corresponding closing of cir- The depression of each arm F moves the piston forward against the action of the expanding spring D, so that the oil under pressure passes through the port of the piston to displace the valve and enable the oil to be shifted around to the other side of the piston. When the wheel passes beyond the arm F, the spring D exerts a force to restore the piston to its first position, causing the cushion of oil to move the valve against the piston and almost completely closing the ports thereof. The play of the piston and the valve itself is such that the joints are not absolutely tight, so that the oil, under the spring-pressure of the piston,will slowlyand gradually pass back around and through the piston to the point'it first occupied. By this arrangement the arm F can be quickly depressed and will remain so,

generally, long enough to permit the locomotive that has just passed over it to reach the succeeding box and close the circuit before the circuit of the box previously operated is broken, the result being that a constant connection is maintained.

The movement of trains in the same direc tion will secure no signal connections, because the depression of the arms of the boxes under such conditions only serves to connect all the contacts m together. By using the relay device weak batteries can be employed both for the same and local circuits, as the relay can be operated with a comparatively feeble current, and the belLcircuit, being small, will insure thebell being positively rung at all times. If desired, air or gas may be used in place of oil or glycerine.

1. In an electric signal system for railways, the combination of the incomplete circuit-s connected with rotary coinmutators, contactplates. and the rails, the commutators having arms which are adapted to be depressed by a train or locomotive, and when depressed will partially complete the circuits, said circuits being completed by brushes contacting with the plates so as to sound an electric alarm mechanism carried by the locomotive, and means for automatically elevating the arms attached to the commutators, substantially as set forth.

2. In a circuit-closing device for electric signals for railways, a rotary commutator having a pair of complete contact-plates and adjacent thereto pairs of short contact-plates with connecting-wires, as shown, each pair being circumferentially on a line with each other, a bar G, carrying four coiitact-l'irushes and wires connecting said brushes with the linewires and with the rail and adjacent contact-plates, and means carried by the locomotive and tender for electrically connecting the contact-plates and rails when the commutator is turned, substantially as set forth.

3. In a signaling system for railways, the combination of incomplete circuits and commutators adapted to close the same, each having an arm adapted to be struck by the 1000- motive to turn its commutator, a spring designed to restore said arm to a Vertical position, and a cylinder carrying a valved piston the piston-rod of which is connected to the commutator to retard the action of the spring, substantially as set forth.

4. In a circuit-closiiiig device for electric 2o signals for railways, the continuation, with a box provided with a contact'strip upon its upper side, a commutater-cylinder located in said box and having one of its journals projecting beyond the side of the same, a contact- 25 arm connected with said journal, 2. cylinder also located in said box and containing a piston connected by a rod with the commutator-cylinder, and a valve movably located adjacent to said piston on said rod, together 30 with commutator-brushes, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDGAR C. IVILEY. Witnesses:

WILLIAM PAXTON, W. .ToHNsoN. 

